Ruling in fire death

The Trumbull County coroner has ruled the Christmas Day death of Tim J. Marcu, 59, of Oakdale Avenue Southwest to have been the result of smoke inhalation and probably because of the use of smoking materials.

Warren fire officials said they suspected the fire was caused by smoking. They were called to the home at 1510 Oakdale at 10:45 a.m. Dec. 25. They later found a hole in the floor close to a couch and not far from where Marcu’s body was found.

Warren Fire Chief Ken Nussle and a neighbor both said they believed the fire had smoldered a while before turning into flames. The neighbor said he started to smell smoke the evening before the fire but didn’t know what it was until smoke started coming out of Marcu’s house.